Cultural Corner: Bloopers!

India is FUN. You must learn to laugh at yourself and understand the charm of learning a new language.

PONGA or PONGAL?

Dining out in India is always fun.  Combine hunger with Tanglish (Tamil spoken with an American accent) and what you have is a recipe for comic moments.  Pongal is a popular delicacy in South India, and pouring over the menu one particular morning, that’s just what I decided I was going to have.  The waiter came by to take orders and I gave mine, ‘Pongal’.  I saw him strain to hear what I had just said, so I repeated it louder this time, ‘PONGAL’.  This time there was unbelief and confusion written all over his face.  My staff were seated next to me and jumped right in and told the waiter what I wanted, this time in good Indian accent.  Relief on his face, he smiled and said, ‘Oh, Pongal.’  When he left, I turned to my staff and asked them why it seemed so hard for him to understand.  Between loud guffaws, smiles and giggles, they told me that when I said ‘Pongal’ it sounded like ‘Ponga’.  Ponga in Tamil means, ‘Go away!’ Oops! I was hungry and instead of ordering food I was ordering him out of his own restaurant!

MANUFACTURING BABIES

Translation, apart from being a daunting task, can be downright hilarious too.  During a seminar at Trinity Bible College for Women, one of my ministry assistants, Rhona was translating from English to Tamil. During the teaching about Hannah and God blessing her with a child, Rhona translated that Hannah was blessed with manufacturing babies.  Oops!  I thought God created.  What are we teaching our Bible college students?  J

A BEAUTIFUL TALI

While attending a large prominent wedding, it is customary for the missionary to pray for the couple and to give a word of greeting to the reception gathered. Usually the reception has several hundred people in attendance. At one wedding, I was practicing how to compliment the bride on her new Tali necklace which is given by her groom much like a wedding ring is given during an American wedding. Instead of telling the bride she was wearing a "beautiful Tali," I said to the laughter of those listening, "What a beautiful urinal you are wearing."